Herald Blogs

Creating Memories, And Buying Them

Yesterday Bridget, my friend Justin and I all went down to Miami to attend Florida Supercon, a convention devoted to comics, games, anime, etc. I was a bit hesitant to go this year, mainly because I know that I drop tons of cash at these events on unique artwork and items that you just can't find anywhere else. However, when the celebrity guest list was revealed (including cult legend Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, and comic-creator Chris Claremont) there really wasn't much of a choice to be made beyond just how loud I should scream "YES". There was a mandatory $25 fee for a Saturday pass, and after that you're on your own when it comes to what you choose to buy. Vender booths range from autographed movie memoribilia to weaponry, and there was a large setup of booths where various comic book artists sell prints of their work or, for a fee, do commissioned pieces. This area was where I spent the majority of my money (about $90 in total); some of these pieces are too original to pass up, including "Super Poopers" which features beloved superheroes on the toilet. You could spend hours (and we did!) browsing the selections. Also, there were several comic book artists and movie animators whose work I was familiar with, and buying pieces directly from them allowed me a chance to snag personalized autographs. And considering how much one piece of art can go for in any department store, paying just $5 to $25 for a one-of-a-kind sketch is worthwhile...despite the looming cost of purchasing frames!

Now let's not forget the other main feature of the convention - the celebrities! In order to get a Bruce Campbell autograph you had to preorder a special ticket for $25, a price that I am not ashamed to say was a tad high (gah, I love you Bruce, don't chainsaw my head off!). And let me just say, seeing as the price was so high, I went to the convention with nothing for him to sign on the assumption that the ticket price included a movie still for him to sign; instead I was treated to a table of various movie stills to choose from...all for an additional $5. But whatever, at this point I'm already in it to win it, so I fork over a few extra dollars and I get my 20 seconds of face time with Bruce Campbell (squeal!) before I am promptly shoo'd away. And that experience all seemed well & good until I was treated to an autograph from X-Men legend Chris Claremont - as well as a good TEN MINUTES of conversation with him! - all for free! He answered every question I had for him, showed me a sneak preview of his upcoming comic X-Men Forever, and gave me a personalized autograph (To Amanda - Thanks for coming on such a Stormy day, Chris Claremont) completely free of charge! It blew my mind, and ended up being the absolute highlight of my life day. Money may buy overpriced autographs, but it does not buy happiness...I got that one for free!